Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Year : 2, Issue: 25
Hundreds of migrants in the state who were moved outside New York City will be relocated back to the five boroughs in the coming weeks, New York State Association of County leaders said Monday.
More than 200,600 migrants have arrived in the state since spring 2022, and more than 65,600 people remain in the city’s care, according to city data. Up to 1,500 migrants live in temporary emergency shelter outside the city.
New York Mayor Eric Adams’ office and counties are working together on a plan to relocate displaced asylum seekers back to the city after school adjourns for the summer this week, New York State Association of Counties Executive Director Stephen Acquario said.
A New York City hall official Monday said migrants were relocated upstate temporarily and officials are discussing an alternative location. A final relocation plan has not been settled, according to the mayor’s office.
Families in May were evacuated from a Super 8 Motel in Rotterdam, in Schenectady County, because of reports of issues with the fire system, the city hall official said. Town Supervisor Mollie Collins did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday night.
County leaders and Adams have been working on a relocation plan over the last several weeks for upstate migrants who are not under an existing resettlement plan, but details of how many people that includes remain unclear.
A total of 382 migrant families have been relocated outside New York City under the program, including 100 each in Albany and Monroe counties, 72 to Westchester County, 59 in Suffolk County and 51 in Erie County, according to the department.
Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said the county has about 1,300 asylum seekers, but about 700 people in that group are not under an existing resettlement program, like MRAP, and will be bused back to the city next month.
OTDA said an additional 833 migrant families in New York City have expressed interest in relocating, and 23 have signed leases with a pending move. The department has approved 10 to move. A total of 318 families referred to the program declined to participate or were not eligible.
Representatives with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office referred questions to Adams’ office.
Hochul discussed the need for federal action and funding for asylum seekers during an MSNBC interview June 4.
Source: Spectrum
